Fondazione Ugo Bordoni

Building NG Service Platforms

above PSTN and SIP Networks:
the STARLITE Case Study

Thomas Magedanz, IKV++, Germany

Menelaos Perdikeas, NTUA, Greece
Sebastiano Trigila, FUB, Italy
(trigila@fub.it)

May 2001 2nd SIP Congress, Stokholm 1 of 35

 Presentation Overview
• Market drivers for hybrid services above PSTN and SIP
Networks
• The role of Intelligent Network as common platform above
converging fixed, mobile and SIP networks
• Evolution of IN: new middleware technologies and open
network APIs
• The added value of Mobile Code Technologies
• The STARLITE architecture
• The GRASSHOPPER mobile agent platform
• STARLITE Service Execution and Management
• A Service Scenario

May 2001 2nd SIP Congress, Stokholm 2 of 35

 The essence of classic IN

Service Domain
Service A Service B Service C
User domain

Service Control Layer (SCP)

Terminal
PSTN Switching Layer (SSP)

Bearer Domain

May 2001 2nd SIP Congress, Stokholm 3 of 35

 The essence of LongTerm IN

Service Domain
Service A Service B Service C
User Domain

Appl Service Control Layer (SCP)

1

Appl
2
Network Convergence Layer (SSP)

PSTN ISDN TCP-IP B-ISDN GSM UMTS

Bearer Domain

May 2001 2nd SIP Congress, Stokholm 4 of 35

 IN Evolution
• IN is nowadays the globally accepted platform for SCNs within fixed
and mobile telecommunications environments, due to
– rapid service creation
– uniform service provisioning
• Control and management are being influenced by Internet
Technologies: the signalling network will evolve towards an all-IP
network (see work of Camel and 3GPP).
• In the long run, different transport network might become just
subnetworks of an all-IP transport and signalling Network
• Long-Term Vision: a single integrated service platform for all
networks and a Virtual Home Environment to all users
• PSTN-Internet convergence is an intermediate ring in this evolution
chain

May 2001 2nd SIP Congress, Stokholm 5 of 35

 The scope of Convergence

• Integrated provision of Telecom and information

services
• Integrated management and control

• Provision of services over multi-technology

network platform
• Ubiquitous offering of fixed and mobile services

May 2001 2nd SIP Congress, Stokholm 6 of 35

 PSTN-Internet convergence
S e r v ic e C o n tr o l
F u n c tio n

IP n e tw o rk
SS7 ( p o s s ib ly u s in g S IG T R A N )

PSTN /
PLM N In te r n e t
S e r v ic e S w it c h in g
F u n c t io n S e r v ic e S w it c h in g S e r v ic e S w it c h in g S e r v ic e S w it c h in g
F u n c t io n F u n c t io n F u n c tio n

B a s ic C a ll S ta te
M odel B a s ic C a ll S t a t e B a s ic C a ll S ta te B a s ic C a ll S t a t e
M odel M odel M odel
P S T N P u b lic
H .3 2 3 S IP s e r v e r M EG ACO
S w itc h G ATEW AY
G a te K e e p e r C o n tr o lle r

M EG ACO
H . 3 2 3 C lie n t V o I P a p p lic a t io n u s in g S I P
IP p h o n e

May 2001 2nd SIP Congress, Stokholm 7 of 35

 Layers in PSTN-Internet convergence

• telephony signalling and IN control layer

– VoIP to PSTN GWs
– SIGTRAN
• service layer
– hybrid services integrating SCN and Internet capabilities

May 2001 2nd SIP Congress, Stokholm 8 of 35

 Interworking vs Convergence

GW GW
Network A Network B Network C

{ A, B, C } = { PSTN, Internet, PLMN, LAN, MAN, etc.}

Integrated Service Platform (IN Logic)

API-A API-B API-C

GW GW
Network A Network B Network C

May 2001 2nd SIP Congress, Stokholm 9 of 35

 Roadmap to Convergence

Network
IN Paradigm Technologies
Middleware
Technologies
Open
Network
APIs

Overall Service Platform

May 2001 2nd SIP Congress, Stokholm 10 of 35

 Middleware Technologies

General-purpose, for several fields of IT

• CORBA
• JAVA RMI
• (D)COM
• Mobile Agents

May 2001 2nd SIP Congress, Stokholm 11 of 35

 Open Network APIs for Telecoms
IETF
http://www.ietf.org
JAIN
java.sun.com/products/jain

www.tinac.com www.parlay.org

www.omg.org www.3gpp.org

May 2001 2nd SIP Congress, Stokholm 12 of 35

 Scope and Benefits of PARLAY

• PARLAY: an outstanding API standardization effort so far

• PARLAY APIs homogenize PSTN switches, SIP proxy
servers, H.323 Gatekeepers, MEGACO controllers and other
resources from the viewpoint of Service Provisioning
• The basic motif of IN paradigm (controller/controlled) is
enforced by a strong common client-server object model
• PARLAY gives the potential for a uniform service space
spanning across network boundaries and comprising
heterogeneous resources
• PARLAY offers a flexible Service Hierarchy

May 2001 2nd SIP Congress, Stokholm 13 of 35

 Parlay Service Hierarchy
A p p lic a t io n C o d e A c c e s s in g a
U n if ie d S e r v ic e S p a c e A p p lic a tio n S id e
• A hierarchy of
G e n e r ic C a ll
V e r t ic a l d o m a in services is defined
s p e c if ic s e r v ic e s
C o n tro l
U s e r L o c a t io n
ranging from simpler
E m e r g e n c y S e r v ic e
to more complex
IN A P 1 C a ll
C o n tro l
E nhanced C A P C a ll
C o n tro l
U s e r L o c a tio n ones
C a ll C o n t r o l
C a m e l S e r v ic e
• Network and
M u lt i M e d ia C o n fe re n c e
U s e r L o c a t io n
application side
C a ll C o n t r o l C a ll C o n t r o l
S e r v ic e interfaces wrap the
G e n e ric
M e s s a g in g U s e r S ta tu s controlled resource
M u lti M e d ia C o n f e r e n c e
C a ll C o n t r o l
S e r v ic e S e r v ic e
and the application
that receives
A u t h e n t ic a t io n
S e r v ic e
D is c o v e r y
A ccess
Load
M anagem ent
notifications and acts
H o r iz o n t a l
F ra m e w o rk E vent F a u lt
on them
N o t if ic a t io n S u b s c r ip tio n
S e r v ic e s M anagem ent

IN S S F o r In te rn e t s o ft PLM N
M a il s e r v e r s
a n d m e s s a g in g
N e tw o rk
SCF s w itc h e s re s o u rc e s
s y s te m s
S id e
May 2001 2nd SIP Congress, Stokholm 14 of 35
 Parlay APIs scenarios

May 2001 2nd SIP Congress, Stokholm 15 of 35

 Approaches in using PARLAY

• Parlay APIs at SCP

– same centralized architecture as IN (critical bottlenecks)
• Parlay APIs at SSP, code at edge of network
– visibility of a large number of switches
– complex and inefficient for the Service Providers
– service provisioning strongly dependent on network topology.
• The STARLITE approach
– Service code at edge of network
– Service instances injected inside the network by means of
Mobile Code Middleware

May 2001 2nd SIP Congress, Stokholm 16 of 35

 Service Provisioning
across Internet and PSTN
• PARLAY, if provided at the SCP level inherits the same centralized
service provisioning as IN
– some key control elements may become critical bottlenecks
• Internet service provisioning is fully distributed and decentralized (at the
edge-of-network)
– personalised services benefiting from powerful network resources (databases,
profiles, etc.) are difficult to accommodate
– security concerns become a nightmare
– efficient use and fair charging of network resources is impossible
– VHE functionality is difficult to accommodate
• Using PARLAY at the SSP level equates to using a tool-kit for service
provisioning at the edge of the network with all the above-listed
disadvantages
• The STARLITE approach overcomes this

May 2001 2nd SIP Congress, Stokholm 17 of 35

 STARLITE approach (1)
• Places a middle tier between the network and the
applications where 3rd Party services can be
executed
– more things remain under the control of the operator
• Advantages for the operator:
– responsibility of service execution, maintenance and life cycle
management are maintained by the operator
– more efficient use of network resources by the services
– increased personal mobility or VHE support
• Advantage for the service provider:
– no need to maintain application servers for service execution

May 2001 2nd SIP Congress, Stokholm 18 of 35

 T ie r 3 - P a r la y A p p lic a tio n S id e
s e r v ic e s s e r v ic e
in je c t e d
E n t e r p r is e - b a s e d
in th e n e tw o r k
S e r v ic e P r o v id e r

T ie r 2 - M o b ile C o d e M id d le w a r e
s e r v ic e 1 s e r v ic e 1
s e r v ic e 2 s e r v ic e 2
s e r v ic e 3 m ig r a t io n s e r v ic e 3

M o b ile C o d e M id d le w a r e

instructs
Middle
Service context #1 c ro s s -n e tw o rk S e r v ic e S e r v ic e c ro s s -n e tw o rk S e r v ic e

context #2
execution

execution
s e r v ic e s L o g ic D is t r ib u t io n s e r v ic e s L o g ic
M anager M anager M anager
Execution A B C
e x e c u tio n c o n te x ts :
t r a n s p a r e n t r e p lic a t io n , A B C

Tier p ro x y p ro x y p ro x y m ig r a tio n , a c tiv a t io n , p ro x y p ro x y p ro x y

p a s s iv a t io n a n d lif e c y c le
Access M anager m anagem ent Access M anager

T ie r 1 - P a r la y N e tw o r k S id e

P a r la y N e t w o r k S id e C o m p o n e n t s
A B C
D is tr ib u t e d P r o c e s s in g E n v ir o n m e n t
N e t w o r k E q u ip m e n t N e t w o r k E q u ip m e n t
s o ft s o ft
N e tw o rk s w itc h m a il N e tw o r k s w it c h m a il
SSP H .3 2 3 SSP H .3 2 3
P r o v id e r s e rv e r P r o v id e r s e rv e r
G a te K p r G a te K p r

P h y s ic a l N e t w o r k P h y s ic a l N e tw o r k
e x e c u t io n c o n t e x t # 1

May 2001 2nd SIP Congress, Stokholm 19 of 35

 Ÿ P a r la y in t e r f a c e s a t t h e S S P Ÿ S e r v ic e s c r e a t e d a t e d g e o f
Ÿ P a r la y in t e r f a c e s a t t h e S C P
le v e l n e tw o rk
le v e l
Ÿ T o p o lo g y r e f le c t e d t o e x t e r n a l Ÿ S e r v ic e in s t a n c e d d e p lo y e d
Ÿ S a m e I N in f r a s t r u c tu r e u s e d
SPs in s id e it
Ÿ B o t t le n e c k a t t h e lo c a t io n o f t h e
Ÿ B o t t le n e c k a t t h e lo c a t io n o f t h e Ÿ C o m b in e s o p e n n e s s w it h
SC P
P A R L A Y g a te w a y f le x ib ilit y a n d p e r f o r m a n c e

S e r v ic e S e r v ic e S e r v ic e
P r o v id e r P r o v id e r P r o v id e r

SCP SCP

SSP SSP SSP

SSP
SSP SSP

SSP SSP
SSP SSP SSP

SSP SSP SSP SSP SSP SSP

SSP

P a r la y n e t w o r k s id e c a ll c o n t r o l A P I s
S e r v ic e s
I N A P S C P - S S P f lo w s
S e r v ic e m ig r a t io n
P a r la y n e t w o r k - a p p lic a t io n s id e in t e r a c t io n

May 2001 2nd SIP Congress, Stokholm 20 of 35

 The STARLITE Approach (2)
• A fair compromise between centralised and
distributed service provisioning
• Services are created at the edge of the network,
by using PARLAY API at the highest possible
level
• Mobile code is used to inject service logic inside
the network, as required by the needs of different
services.
• Service life cycle is managed completely by the
mobile agent based middleware

May 2001 2nd SIP Congress, Stokholm 21 of 35

 STARLITE architecture
Create & D eploy Service M igration
Services

Grasshopper Agency Grasshopper Agency

Distributed

• vc
Agent SCE /SM S
Environm ent G rasshopper
(DAE) Enhanced Basic
B asic
Enhanced B asic
Basic
Services Services
Basic Services Services
Basic
VPN / M anager Network
Manager Netw ork Services
Services
Services
Services

PARLAY Call Control M obility M essaging

Distributed
Processing CO RBA
Environm ent
(DPE)

PSTN PLM
PLMNN Internet

May 2001 2nd SIP Congress, Stokholm 22 of 35

 Grasshopper Agent Platform
• Standard compliant, Java-based platform for the development and
execution of Mobile Agents
– Version 1 release: autumn 1998
– Version 2 release: spring 2000
==> Grasshopper Version 2 is FREE of Charge!!
• Core Functionalities:
– Inbuild CORBA-Integration
– Ease of Extensibility (Resource and Control APIs)
– Comprehensive Security capabilities
– standard compliance (MASIF, FIPA)
– Runs on JDK 1.2 for Unix and Windows (98, NT, CE, 2000)
• Application Areas: Telecommunications and Internet
• More Information at: www.ikv.de/products/grasshopper

May 2001 2nd SIP Congress, Stokholm 23 of 35

 Grasshopper Architecture
Agency
MASIF Core functionality FIPA
Security

MAFAgentSystem
Region Registry Registration
Persistence
MASIF Core functionality DF
Management
Management Transport AMS
MAF
Finder Communication Communication ACC

Communication channel (e.g., CORBA, RMI, Socket)

Java API CORBA API RMI API RMI API (SSL)

.....

Non-agent-based distributed systems, services, applications

May 2001 2nd SIP Congress, Stokholm 24 of 35

 Service Execution
Environment Architecture
• A mobile agent based middle tier resides between network
resources and external service providers
• Coarsely overlaid on top of actual network resources
– flexibility and optimal deployment of services in terms of performance
• Functions as a code broker
• In contrast to using simply the Parlay APIs (opaque applications),
services adhere to an object model
• Their lifecycle and handling of their execution can be delegated to
horizontal infrastructures
– transparent reconfiguration of service deployment (personal or terminal
mobility events)
– automated binding of services to network resources (logical view of network
endpoints)
– activation, serialization, threading and pooling offered by GRASSHOPPER

May 2001 2nd SIP Congress, Stokholm 25 of 35

 Execution Environments
S e r v ic e D is tr ib u te d A g e n t E n v ir o n m e n t
M anagem ent
G ra s s h o p p e r A g e n c y G ra s s h o p p e r A g e n c y
S y s te m
G ra s s h o p p e r A c t iv a t io n / E x e c u tio n E x e c u tio n th r e a d in g /
Agency P e r s is te n c e E n v ir o n m e n t E n v ir o n m e n t p o o lin g
s e r v ic e s e r v ic e s e r v ic e
G ra s s h o p p e r
S e r v ic e s p e r s is te n c e
S T A R L IT E p la tfo r m

s e r v ic e P A R L A Y C a ll C o n tr o l In te r fa c e s M e s s a g in g M o b ility
G ra s s h o p p e r
Agency D IS T R IB U T E D M ID D L E W A R E (C O R B A O R D C O M )
S e r v ic e
C r e a tio n
E n v ir o n m e n t S o ft
In d e p e n d e n t S w it c h
N e tw o rk SSP M SC
S e r v ic e
P r o v id e r R e s o u rc e s

May 2001 2nd SIP Congress, Stokholm 26 of 35

 STARLITE services

• A number of services are being implemented:

– Web-originated services terminating onto the PSTN (“click-
to” services)
– Media adaptation
– Personal mobility (across PSTN and Internet)
– VPN (involving IN/Internet interworking)
– Hybrid services (call notification of incoming mails)
• PSTN and VoIP segments are indistinguishable at
the service layer

May 2001 2nd SIP Congress, Stokholm 27 of 35

 A typical hybrid service scenario
GH. Agency

0.
deploy
D e p lo y m e n t
E x e c u t io n S e r v ic e M anager
E n v ir o n m e n t
G RASSHO PPER

5. S e r v ic e
clone 6.
bind
S e r v ic e 7. get M a ilb o x Messages boldly framed
GH. Agency

e n d p o in t
1.
Endpoints
are PARLAY, others are specific to
4. Service getTrigger 8. get the
descriptor
Request
9. attach execution environments
M a ilb o x
S e r v ic e M a ilb o x
B in d in g M a i Pl b roo xx y
E x e c u t io n L o g ic P ro x y
M anager P ro x y
E n v ir o n m e n t M anager 10. open
mailbox
11. open
2. Enable Call folder
CO RBA / DCO M
Notification 12.put
3. Call Message
Event Notify
m a il s e n t a t 1 2 +

in c o m in g c a l l
at 2+

C a ll C o n t r o l M a n a g e r M a ilb o x / M a ilfo ld e r M a n a g e r

May 2001 2nd SIP Congress, Stokholm 28 of 35

 STARLITE Integrated Environment
Private
Private IP
IP network
network

SCE SMS

ACS ISN

MGC
MGC

Public
Public IP
IP network
network
PSTN
PSTN

May 2001 2nd SIP Congress, Stokholm 29 of 35

 OSI systems management STARLITE Service Management
Managing side Managed side
MO Real resource
Management Management
operations OSI operations
Manager Agent MO Real resource
Event Notifications
reports MO Real resource

MO Real resource
SMS management

MO Service
Service agent agent
Controller

May 2001 2nd SIP Congress, Stokholm 30 of 35

 Code Shipping Capability

• SMS provides general code shipping capabilities

– Code can be written in any programming language
• To carry and install service logic code, the freighter agent
concept is introduced in STARLITE
• Communication between the freighter agent and the SMS is
via the messaging service

notification notification
Freighter
MS Agent
Freighter
Service agent
Controller Agent

May 2001 2nd SIP Congress, Stokholm 31 of 35

 Overall Software Architecture
Mobile Agents
(Grasshopper Applications)

Grasshopper 2.1 (2.2)

IONA OrbixWeb 3.2c JAVA ORB

Java Virtual Machine
(JDK 1.3)

Solaris 2.5.1 W2K/NT/W9x

May 2001 2nd SIP Congress, Stokholm 32 of 35

 Summary
• STARLITE offers a future-proof, distributed IN architecture for
integrated service provision across SCNs and the Internet
• Component mobility, provided by Grasshopper, enables
– to create services at the edge of the network
– to inject services instances inside the network
– dynamic upgrade of services
– effective load balancing in the network
• The STARLITE architecture enables hybrid services realised
through mobile components to be provided with the
necessary flexibility
• Provisioning servers can be located in the SCN and in the
Internet as deemed more effective

May 2001 2nd SIP Congress, Stokholm 33 of 35

 The STARLITE Consortium

•Siemens ICN SpA

•FUB

http://www.cordis.lu/ist/
•NTUA
•Archetypon
•IKV ++ •OTE

•Retevision •VocalTec

May 2001 2nd SIP Congress, Stokholm

 References
• STARLITE Project URL: http://www.ist-starlite.net

• F. Zizza, et.al.:
"Towards a Distributed Intelligent Network",
International Conference on Intelligence in Networks (ICIN 2000),
Bordeaux, France, January 18-20, 2000

• T. Magedanz, et.al.:
"Towards an Integrated Architecture for the Harmonisation of PSTN
and Internet Services",
International Conference on Intelligence in Networks (ICIN 2000),
Bordeaux, France, January 18-20, 2000

May 2001 2nd SIP Congress, Stokholm 35 of 35